Improvement in combined bed-bottom and fire-escape



W. U. HOOVER. Combined Bed-Bottom and Fire-Escape.

No. 201,015. Patented March 5,1878.

ladder,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM U. HOOVER, OF BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED BED-BOTTOM AND FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,015, dated March 5, 1878; application filed October 19, 1877.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'WILLIAM UProN H00 VER, of Bowling Green, in the county of Warren and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to a combined bedbottom and fire-escape; the object of which is to utilize a flexible ladder of sufficient length and strength for use as a fire-escape in the construction and formation-of a bed-bottom.

The following description is herewith annexed in order that theprinciple as well as its operation may be made as clear and concise as possible.

' Figure 1 in the accompanying drawing represents aflexible ladder, A, established in sections from head to foot; said ladder being freeand independent, simply resting upon springs which are securely established on longitudinal slats at the ends of each section,

as represented at letter B, the rounds of the ladder connecting with tension or stretcher springs, which hold the several sections at full tension, thus producing a uniform elastic surface for the bedding. These tension-springs are so arranged as to permit the ladder to be easily detached, with the exception of one end, which, if desired, may be fastened to the bedstead thus reproducing one long continuous furnishing an easy and safe means of escape.

I use springs of the shape substantially as shown in the drawings, in which 0 represents a conical spiral spring, with a straight extension at the apex, as appears at letter a; also, a tension or stretcher spring, as represented at B, the peculiar bend at c c grasping the rounds of the ladder, and holding the sections at their several ends in an elastic tensile manner.

I claim 1. A combined fire-escape and bed-bottom, consisting of a flexible ladder extending to and fro over the slats of the bedstead, and resting upon springs interposed at intervals between the ladder and the slats, and supported at the ends by tension or stretcher springs, which hold the ladder at full tension upon the bedstead, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the bottom slats and flexible ladder, the springs O, having extension a, adapted to enter and support the rounds of said ladder, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the spring-supported flexible ladder, the tension-springs B, of the form shown, adapted to keep the sections of the ladder extended with a yielding tension, substantially as described.

WILLIAM UPTON HOOVER.

Witnesses:

PHILIP N. RoBB, CHARLES E. GRANT. 

